Orthopedic care spans a wide range of subspecialties, and surgeons say referring physicians don’t always have full visibility into where a patient’s needs are best met.
Referring physicians play a central role in connecting patients with the right specialist but orthopedic surgeons say the match isn’t always as precise as it could be.
Four surgeons spoke with Becker’s about the aspects they wish referring physicians knew before sending a patient their way.
Ask Orthopedic Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to orthopedic surgeons and leaders around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting orthopedic care. Becker’s invites all orthopedic surgeons and specialists to respond.
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Please send responses to Cameron Cortigiano at ccortigiano@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. Central time on June 8.
Editor’s note: These responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What do you wish referring physicians better understood about the orthopedic care you provide?
Jamie Alexander, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon of Houston Methodist: I think one of the most important things for referring physicians to consider is not just the diagnosis, but the level of specialization, expertise and scope of care their patient may need. As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with a CAQ in hand surgery, I bring dedicated fellowship training and experience in managing a wide range of upper extremity conditions, from routine issues to highly complex cases. In my practice, I treat everything from sprains and nerve compressions to fractures, arthritis, infections, and complex soft tissue and upper extremity injuries. That depth of training and experience allows me to provide both non-operative and operative care, and to tailor treatment plans based on each patient’s condition, functional needs and individual goals. It also means many patients can receive comprehensive, specialized care without needing to be referred elsewhere.
I also think it’s important for referring physicians to consider a surgeon’s approach to care. In my experience, not every patient requires surgery, so I place a strong emphasis on evidence-based, non-operative management when appropriate, while ensuring surgical options are available when needed to achieve the best outcome.
Equally important is communication and continuity of care. Referring physicians should feel confident not only in the surgeon’s clinical expertise, but also in their commitment to keeping providers informed and involved throughout the patient’s care.
Ultimately, my goal is to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care across the full continuum, combining specialized expertise with a thoughtful, individualized approach and strong collaboration to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Ronald Gardner, MD. Founder of Gardner Orthopedics (Fort Myers, Fla.): We as the orthopedic surgeons should be the ones ordering the diagnostic tests. That way, we can make sure the proper tests are done and the improper tests are avoided.
Sohaib Hashmi, MD. Orthopedic Spine Surgeon of UCI Health (Irvine, Calif.): I wish referring physicians better understood that when patients are referred to my practice, they are cared for by a dedicated multidisciplinary team focused on optimizing every aspect of their spine health. My practice specializes in complex spinal deformity and revision surgery for patients with severe deformities, failed prior operations and challenging surgical histories that require extensive preoperative planning, patient-specific optimization and advanced surgical techniques. Achieving the best outcomes requires close collaboration among spine surgery, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, anesthesia, rehabilitation and other specialists, with patients often meeting multiple surgical teams before surgery as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. By combining individualized surgical strategies, meticulous patient optimization and a coordinated multispecialty approach, we strive to improve safety, minimize complications and provide the most predictable and durable outcomes possible.
Behnam Sharareh, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon of DISC Thousand Oaks (Calif.): As a dedicated shoulder fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon, I feel that I am uniquely equipped to manage the most complex shoulder conditions. This includes shoulder arthroplasty, revision shoulder arthroplasty (for patients with a previously failed shoulder arthroplasty), shoulder arthroscopy for rotator cuff and labral injuries, tendon transfers, fracture fixation, glenoid reconstruction, humerus reconstruction, scapular winging procedures and sternoclavicular reconstruction. I am also one of the only providers in Southern California that performs subscapularis-sparing shoulder arthroplasty, robotic shoulder arthroplasty and ream and run shoulder arthroplasty. I am happy to care for patients of all ages, as shoulder pathology affects nearly everyone at some point in their lives.
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